Sport

CRICKET: Somerset facing busy schedule

FIXTURES come thick and fast for Somerset County Cricket Club and in the space of the next eight days they face three Nat West T20 Blast matches and one LV=Championship game, each one of which is crucial.

This evening they travel to play Glamorgan in a T20 on Friday evening at Cardiff before heading off to play in the same format against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl on Sunday afternoon.

Following that Somerset drive to face Middlesex in the championship at Uxbridge starting on Monday.

Assuming that game goes the distance Somerset drive back down the M4 on Thursday evening ready to entertain Gloucestershire in the T20 derby on Friday, so there is not let up.

Director of cricket Dave Nosworthy said: “We are well aware of the busy fixture list that we are facing so we have made arrangements to manage this period as best as possible as to how we look after the players.

“However the number of fixtures coming up is no excuse and we have to front up and the players need to front up as to what is required so have no doubt that they will be up for it over this period.

“In the T20 with six games left we are struggling a little so we need to win five I reckon to try to qualify. We are by no means out of this competition and don’t want to be out of it and desperate to remain in it.

“The players are playing as well as they can. Sure we would like to see some better performances and some match winning performances, but that’s up to the individuals on the day.

“Strategically we need to look at one or two aspects of the style we play and we have started that process so hopefully we can elaborate on this and have enough time to get that right.

Looking ahead to the championship match Nosworthy said: “We have played some good four day cricket and the guys are into the groove in terms of the style we want to play.

"There has been a massive improvement in terms of our Championship cricket on last year and we are seriously in the hunt to end well in this competition.”